Authors note: Hi one and all, and any newbies to this story :) Apologies for the delay in updating, you can thank writers block and real life for that!
I have another chapter almost ready and hope to publish it soon. Hope you enjoy this one for now. SA
"You only see what your eyes want to see.
How can life be what you want it to be?
You're frozen,
When your heart's not open."
Frozen - Madonna
As he came to a halt, Thranduil raised a hand to his temple, his fingers attempting to dislodge the persistent thoughts that demanded to be acknowledged.
It was beneath you.
Letting out a guttural growl of fury, he resumed his pacing as her words returned to shame and infuriate him yet again.
Who is she to berate and judge me? She is nothing but a common intruder who dares to ignore my decree to her kind!
His anger continued to simmer at her audacity, despite hearing the truth in her words he was reluctant to acknowledge.
Thranduil sighed, finally conceding that his behaviour had been cruel and unnecessary, regretting the hurt which had been inflicted upon the man by his actions.
He was inoffensive, articulate and well-spoken, his manners and respect indicative of good breeding. In the world in which they lived, he was likely a man of some standing, with a title and lands. And though he admitted to stealing the portal key, the man was essentially guileless.
Thranduil reproached himself for using the man's affections for the woman against him. Such behaviour might be commonplace for humans, but he and his race were usually above such wilful malice. Why had he had lowered himself to act in such a manner? What had possessed him to exhibit such base behaviour?
He clenched his jaw as her image confronted him yet again. She was the one who had roused his emotions and caused him to lose composure. She was the one whom he had wanted to hurt.
To be criticized by this woman was intolerable, and his fury and disgust became further inflamed by the recollections of their first meeting. How her pupils had dilated as she had gazed upon him, the orange hue of her aura glowing and becoming more vibrant.
Those eyes of hers radiated with so blatant a physical desire to offend him deeply. How could such an insolent and opinionated human have the audacity to regard him so? Did she truly think he would deign to reciprocate her immodest thoughts? She was beneath him in every way possible.
A new love is coming to find you and she will breathe new life back into your existence.
Daereth's voice returned, tormenting him with the message she had conveyed several months ago, her words as unbidden and unwelcome as this woman was.
"No!"
Unaware he had spoken aloud, Thranduil vehemently dismissed the unpalatable ideas that confronted him. That he would love a human? The mere thought of such an occurrence was incomprehensible, something he had never before contemplated in his life. The woman's presence now entwined with Daereth's words, seeming to force him into envisioning such a repellent prospect.
This woman, who had come into his kingdom uninvited was an anathema to him. There was nothing about her in either character or looks he would find enticing.
Though average in build and shape, she was slightly taller than the human females of her world he had encountered before. He remembered the outlandish appearance of the Brigante's female warriors that had jarred with his idea of femininity, contrasted by the slightly more refined Cartimandua.
This woman's dark brown hair was cropped almost to the skull at the back and sides, the remainder falling across her forehead untidily, the longest strands grazing her left cheekbone and the bruise which had formed there. Both ears, her left eyebrow and the right side of her nose were pierced with small silver studs. She dressed all in black - a tunic, loose trousers and thick, black boots.
And just as those of the Brigante warriors before, her body was permanently marked. He had noticed the image of a bird drawn in the centre of her upper back. Vibrant shades of scarlet, yellow and orange, the head nestling at the base of her neck, it's wings spread outwards in flight.
Her outlandish presentation seemed deliberately designed to generate attention, yet at the same time Thranduil sensed an air of self consciousness about the woman, an awkwardness that she attempted to hide behind brash determination. It was patent within the way she held herself as she had stood before him.
Her eyes were the only thing about her he would remark upon favourably, their colour a warm and burnished brown reminding him of horse chestnut seeds.
But the contents of those eyes were searching, intrusive and lustful. Thranduil shuddered yet again at the disrespect this woman had shown toward him.
Outspoken and unashamedly brazen, she seemed to exhibit very little of the decorum expected of a female. She was thoughtless, inconsiderate and immature, despite having left the days of her youth behind. Her selfish nature and lack of concern for the feelings of others was evidenced by the carelessness shown towards the man she called a friend, who had offered her his heart and clearly adored her. Thranduil failed to see what it was about her that warranted such devotion.
Elven hearts had depths of emotion that they hid beneath a serene exterior. Elven hearts were easily broken and not given away lightly. But these humans did not feel as deeply, nor did they treat the heart of another with care. They were shallow and fickle, avaricious and immoral. And though he had heard the honesty in their words, Thranduil would neither accept nor trust it...
"My lord?" Neurin enquired a second time. The king had not heard him, lost in his thoughts and unaware he was present.
Neurin's voice interrupted his reflections, and Thranduil froze momentarily, surprised at being caught off guard. His body tensed as he attempted to repress his emotions before turning around.
"What do you want, Neurin?" he answered the ellon in a clipped tone, feeling further ill-humour at the interruption. "You can see that I am busy."
"Forgive me, lord, I have no wish to disturb you…"
"Then why are you here?" Studying Neurin, he sensed a quiet resolve beneath his gentle demeanour.
"I have come to update you on the welfare of your prisoners, lord."
"Very well. What do you need to tell me that is so important?"
"Now that you have allowed the younger man his freedom, he has been most helpful in interpreting and I have been able to converse more concisely with Mack - the older man, lord…"
"You are on first-name terms with the prisoner?" Thranduil glowered at Neurin with disapproval, who cursed himself inwardly for the slip. "You would do well to remember they are prisoners and refrain from over-familiarity."
"Of course, lord," Neurin replied, feeling a sliver of discontent at the king's attitude. These humans were no threat, they were open and friendly. Surely the king could see that? What evil could be fostered by using their given names? Neurin suppressed his thoughts as the king surveyed him with a critical eye.
"The guards have been instructed that the men must not be left alone together at any time. Your assistants must also adhere to these orders - do you understand?"
"Yes, lord."
Thranduil nodded. "Finish what you wish to say and then leave me." Neurin inclined his head before continuing.
"The patient has been able to convey to me exactly how he feels and I am able to alter the treatments I give him to further aid his recovery. His wound was not as serious as first thought and I predict he will be well enough to leave the ward by the end of the week."
"Good. Inform me as soon as he is ready." Thranduil began to turn away, the conversation at an end for him. Neurin inhaled before he spoke, steadying himself for what he would say next.
"My lord."
Thranduil stiffened, throwing down the parchment he had picked up. He had made it clear to Neurin that his presence was no longer required.
"Your audience with me is concluded. I have other pressing matters to attend to."
"Forgive me, lord…" Neurin swallowed. "But I am compelled to ask...what is to become of the older man once he is well enough to be discharged from my care?"
He sensed the king's exasperation, but ignoring it, waited expectantly for his answer.
"He will be given a room just as the younger man has been provided with, and they both shall remain under guard until I have decided what to do with them. Is that all?"
"No, lord. I have one final thing to ask."
"What?" Thranduil's tone was now dangerous and Neurin knew he was pushing the king's waning patience to it's limit.
"I ask about the woman. Will she also be released from the cells? And may I tell her where the younger man is? She is desperate for news of him and desires reassurance that he is unharmed. I am also concerned that she has not eaten since yesterday morning…"
"Be silent!" Neurin started at the ferocity of the king's response. Never had he seen him so aroused with anger before. As he came nearer, the king's ire was palpable.
"If the woman desires to eat again, then she must first apologise for her ingratitude and ill manners! " The king's aura deepened, the red becoming almost black.
"She scorns my hospitality, proclaiming she would rather starve than eat the food I graciously provide…" Thranduil turned away sharply before looking back at Neurin, his eyes pale and cold. "Let her enjoy her fast! Let us see how long her obstinance feeds her!"
Neurin was shocked by the level of the king's enmity towards Miranda that showed little sign of abating. News of her rash outburst had been conveyed to him, as had the altercation which transpired during the king's audience with the humans. Neurin suspected the true reason for the king exhibiting such mean behaviour. Having unintenionally witnessed the visitation of the queen's spirit to the king, he was a secret witness to her words.
The arrival of Miranda and her friends came only months after the queen's prophetic appearance, but even Neurin had not expected that it would be a human female the queen spoke of.
Could Thranduil's bitter heart truly reawaken for a mortal woman from a world whose people he despised? Neurin was a thousand years old and had never met the humans who came before, but he knew of the hatred the king held within his heart for the human queen and all her kind. Therefore he could not envision the king ever being disposed to look upon Miranda and love her.
Though it was not unheard of for elves to fall in love with humans, it was not often that the races united. For the fleeting lifespan of a mortal meant that death would soon separate them from their elven mate, the loss devastating and painful to endure. And for an elf of royal blood such as Thranduil to consider a human mate was unthinkable. Neither did the king seem inclined to contemplate a union with even one of his own kind. In the centuries and millennia that had passed since the death of Queen Daereth, Thranduil had never been seen to profess an interest in taking another wife, his heart seemingly frozen in grief and yearning for the queen.
But it would not be just these considerations that hindered the chances of an connection between the two. Miranda had criticised the king's behaviour candidly, affronting him further with a lack of regard for his exalted status. And Neurin wondered if the king recognised that which was driving him, for elves had far more insight into their emotions, exerting far more control over them. It was humans who tended to impulsivity and allowing the intense passion of feelings to influence their actions.
Neurin concluded that the king's behaviour was deliberate, and in reading the humans, had decided to use what he had sensed against them. It was an action that demeaned him greatly.
Miranda's anger toward Thranduil was therefore unsurprising, but she had done her cause no favours by expressing it in such a way, and the pair had now positioned themselves like opposing enemies on the battlefield, neither willing to back down.
It is a pity. The king needs light and laughter in his life, and I sense such an energy within her that would bring him happiness. The stir of change in the air which Neurin had felt months ago had evidently been a premonition of Miranda's arrival, and he felt invigorated by the presence of these humans, as did the rest of his kin. Their coming had awakened senses and curiosity, created ripples throughout the kingdom, chasing away the stale air which had settled upon their unchanging lives and self-imposed isolation.
But the king saw only danger within these humans, wanting them out of his kingdom or at the very least contained. He was closed to the vibrations of change their appearance created, dismissing their innocence and holding them accountable for the crimes of their ancestors.
Miranda's outwardly assertive demeanour was both a flaw and a strength, and Neurin could see that it was used to hide both her vulnerability and sadness. Despite their very brief encounters, he'd experienced an instantaneous affinity with this human woman.
"Neurin!" He had become lost in his musings, oblivious to the king who was awaiting his response.
"Forgive me, lord…"
"I have no care for your apologies," Thranduil snapped, cutting Neurin off. "Neither do I care to know why you have made this woman your concern. My orders remain the same; she will stay where she is and you will tell her nothing."
Neurin heard the controlled displeasure and finality in the king's words. There was to be no release for Miranda.
"Do you understand?" Thranduil spoke again, his tone impatient.
"Yes, lord, I understand."
"Then leave me and heed my instructions."
Neurin bowed and turned away, leaving the king's rooms. Prince Legolas was approaching as he descended the steps. He bowed to the prince before continuing on his way, deep in thought about what had just transpired.
Neurin was resolved not to submit to obeying the king's orders, determined to somehow find a way to circumvent them. At present Miranda would have to forbear imprisonment, but he would not collude with the unnecessary cruelty the king seemed determined to impose. What are you doing, Neurin? Part of him questioned his decision to defy the king. What is right, was the reply he received.
I know this story is about Miranda and Thranduil, but I'm seriously finding Neurin adorable! He's so lovely and you will see more of his personality emerge as the story progresses. SA